


Finding my way back to you.

by SchrodingersShips



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2020-12-28 07:40:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21133079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SchrodingersShips/pseuds/SchrodingersShips
Summary: *Love-eater and Miracle Queen Spoilers*It has been three weeks since the battle that changed everything. Adrien is trying to be the perfect boyfriend, but getting over Ladybug is no easy task, and as Marinette tries to bury her love for Adrien, she starts hanging out with Luka more and more. But everything is not as it seems. When Adrien starts to feel jealous of Luka, he begins to question everything he ever knew about love. Meanwhile, Ladybug is busy juggling all her new responsibilities, but what happens when her feelings towards her partner start to change?*This is basically my hope for how Season 4 will go down. Trust in the love square.





	1. Healing.

‘Pound it.’

Ladybug stared into the mischievous emerald eyes of her partner and managed to quirk her lips into something resembling a smile. Chat Noir frowned, his lips began moving, finally, he worked up to courage to…

‘Bee-beep, bee-beep,’ Chat’s ring suddenly started beeping, startling the two young heroes. ‘Looks like we’re out of time mi-, uh, Ladybug. Until next time.’ Signing off with a 2-finger salute, Chat Noir whisked away into the gloomy Paris night, leaving Ladybug alone. Wondering how she had lost so much in so little time.

* * *

Marinette lay on her bed, staring at her bare bedroom wall, where a collage of Adrien used to be. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest. Tears pricked her eyes as hysteria started to build in her throat, threatening to overwhelm her. Clamping her eyes shut and tightening her grip on her blanket, she swallowed down her dread. Slightly panting and soaked in her own sweat, she sat up on her bed. ‘Pathetic,’ she whispered into the empty room.

Except, it wasn’t empty.

‘What was that Marinette?’ Tiki asked innocently as she flew up to her friends surprised face. ‘Oh nothing, Tiki, everything’s fine, I’m fine.’ Marinette waved her arms in front of her face as she backpedaled.

Tiki curiously studied Marinette’s expression. A smile too wide to be real and eyes glazed over with unshed tears. This was a face she had gotten used to seeing. ‘This wouldn’t have anything to do with Kagami joining your class today, would it? Now that her and Adrien are dating.’

‘Pfft,’ blowing a raspberry, Marinette shook her head, her voice raising an octave, she started erratically waving her arms. ‘Of course not, why would I care about that. Well-uh, actually! I do care, because Kagami is my friend! I’m excited, yep, that’s it, im suuuuuper excited to see her every day, in class, at lunch, with Adrien…’ Marinette’s voice tapered off, her gaze drifted off and her hands dropped to her sides. Her bottom lip started quivering. Tiki stared dubiously at her friend.

She had tried, and failed, countless times in the past weeks to get Marinette to talk about what had happened. To Master Fu, to her relationship with Adrien… and Chat Noir, as well as the responsibility of being the new guardian of the Miraculous. How Marinette was juggling the crushing weight of all these responsibilities, Tiki could only guess.

Bottling up her feelings certainly wasn’t helping. But Tiki couldn’t bear to see her friend so hopeless. The girl needed time, and she had more than earnt it. Tiki rushed to change the subject.

‘Isn’t Luka also starting at your school today?’ Tiki prompted hopefully.

Marinette turned to Tiki, a twinkle in her bluebell eyes. A genuine smile slowly spread across her face. ‘Oh Tiki, I’d forgot.’ Marinette clasped her Kwami in her hands and nuzzled her forehead. Tiki giggled in delight. Marinette voice softened, whispering to her friend tucked away in her palms.

‘Thank you for reminding me, you always know how to cheer me up.’ A small sliver of hope had appeared, slightly unfurling the tightness gripping Marinette’s heart. Maybe today wasn’t lost after all.

* * *

Adrien stepped out of the car, holding the door open and his hand out for Kagami, who took it and gracefully stepped onto the sidewalk. Kagami smirked, ‘Thank you, _boyfriend._’ Heat flooded Adrien’s cheeks as he smiled shyly back at her.

He couldn’t believe he had a _girlfriend_. It definitely took some getting used to. Kagami had seamlessly slotted into this new role. Giving him complements, buying him presents, and not beating him _quite_ so badly at fencing. Nothing seemed to faze that girl. Meanwhile, Adrien had no idea what he was doing. He would sometimes catch Kagami looking at him expectantly, like she was waiting for him to sweep her into his arms and finally kiss her. It had been weeks since he rejected her kiss by the river. The ball was in Adrien’s court, but being with Kagami sometimes felt like his heart was being torn in two directions.

He knew he wasn’t technically betraying his Lady. But she had been acting weird around him ever since he stopped call her Milady, and he hadn’t even told her he had a girlfriend yet, for real this time too. He needed to tell her. Not just for her, but for himself. The shackles binding him to Ladybug kept him from loving someone right in front of him. He had to rip the band-aid off and be free to love someone who wasn’t hidden behind a mask.

He squeezed Kagami’s hand and they started walking up the steps to the school. ‘Feeling nervous?’ he asked.

It was Kagami’s turn for redness to tinge her cheeks. ‘A little,’ she admitted. ‘I’m not very good with people and making friends. But with you here I feel much better.’

Adrien smiled at her reassuringly, ‘I’m glad. Besides, you’ve got Marinette here too, and she’s already your friend.’

Kagami pursed her lips. She hadn’t seen Marinette since she and Adrien announced their relationship, she hoped the girl wasn’t too upset. She was the only friend she had, besides Adrien of course. Although, she had certainly had her chance. Marinette’s hesitancy was a weakness, and Kagami did not hesitate.

As they entered the front doors of the school building, Kagami spotted Marinette sitting with some boy with electric blue hair. She was tugged backwards as Adrien suddenly stopped. She turned to him questioningly.

Adrien was staring at the pair, a weird pressure building in his chest. Luka sat on a bench with Marinette, slowly strumming his guitar. Marinette listened, eyes closed, a blissful smile plastered on her face and her head swinging slowly to the beat. Luka was studying her intently, warmth radiating from his gaze and the beautiful melody he had created. Adrien noted they were sitting very closely.

Kagami tugged on his hand, breaking him out of his reverie. ‘Is everything alright, boyfriend?’ Her emphasis on boyfriend sounded more like a challenge this time. Adrien started hurrying over to Alya and Nino, walking in the opposite direction to the pair on the bench, dragging Kagami along by their linked hands. ‘Of course. Come on, I’ll introduce you to two new friends.’

Kagami looked over her shoulder at Marinette and the mysterious boy. Perhaps she couldn’t be counted out just yet.

* * *

Marinette entered Mrs Bustier’s classroom still buzzing from the surprise she had this morning.

Luka had texted her before school, saying he had a surprise for her downstairs. ‘At my house?!’ she had furiously typed back. ‘I couldn’t resist’ came the reply.

Marinette had flown down the stairs and come bursting out the front door, only to trip right over Luka himself. He was sitting on his bike with his headphones on. Marinette teetered forward, about to fall when Luka jumped up and caught her in his arms. She looked up at him sheepishly as Luka smiled down at her, ‘I’m glad you’re as excited to see me as I am you.’ Marinette had blushed a deep crimson, he was so direct with his feelings! Luka placed his headphones over Marinette’s ears, ‘I wrote you another melody, I wanted you to hear it straight away.’ Marinette hoped on his bike, leaned back and listened to his song as they rode to school.

It was beautiful.

She told Luka as much, but he frowned as she gave him back his headphones.

‘It’s not perfect yet.’

They sat in the courtyard after that, Luka slowly strumming his guitar, Marinette listening. It was peaceful.

A good distraction.

Marinette had managed to avoid Adrien and Kagami all morning, but as she looked up at the benches, she made direct eye contact with the raven-haired girl. Her body flushed with shame. It’s Kagami’s first day ever at a proper school, even she must get nervous. Marinette should’ve checked on her, even if seeing her with Adrien felt like getting punched in the gut. Repeatedly.

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as Marinette stumbled over to the pair.

‘Hi Adrien.’

Adrien’s emerald eye’s crinkled as he smiled widely at his friend.

‘Hi Marinette.’

Feeling nauseous, she quickly turned away from the blonde hair boy. Kagami’s eyes narrowed.

‘Hi Kagami! Welcome to Francois Dupont, how are you finding it?’ Marinette forced a proper smiled onto her face.

‘Hello Marinette, everything has been great so far, especially with Adrien to guide me.’ Kagami smiled coyly, a small part of her relished in seeing Marinette squirm.

Marinette grimaced, muttering ‘right..yeah, of course.’

Marinette’s butterflies had turned into a full-on hornet’s nest. She needed to focus. Curling her fingers, she squeezed tight as she breathed deeply through her nose, unclenching as she exhaled through her mouth. Kagami and Adrien glanced at each other questioningly.

Marinette couldn’t do this. Torturing herself over losing someone she’d never really had in the first place. She hadn’t even given herself a proper chance. She had been a coward, never building up the courage to confess. She let Adrien go the moment she turned down Andre’s ice cream, and Kagami had seized her opportunity. They made perfect sense together, after all. She refused to let her entire year be tainted by a broken heart. Plus, the sting of losing him _was_ fading, just a little bit.

Marinette slightly shifted her posture, facing the two of them head on. ‘I forgot,’ Marinette stated firmly, ‘to congratulate you guys.’ A smile lit up her face.’You really do make a lovely couple.’

Kagami’s smug expression faltered. She had acted rashly. Kagami’s competitive instincts had taken control and she had immediately lashed out. But Marinette was her friend, and her feelings were not a game.

‘Thank you,’ the stoic girl said sincerely, a hint of a proper smile gracing her lips.

Adrien’s brows furrowed, uneasiness pooling in his stomach. Thanking her, felt... _strange_.

‘No worries,’ Marinette managed to squeak out. Twisting on the spot, she marched down the stairs and plopped herself opposite her best friend.

‘You good girl?’ Alya asked tentatively.

‘I will be.’ Marinette replied.


	2. The forgotten side.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir is out on his nightly patrol when he see's Marinette upset on her balcony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MariChat is my absolute favourite side of the love square, I hope you enjoy it.

The Parisian skyline glittered in the twilight as Chat Noir pounced from roof top to roof top. He loved this feeling, like he was almost flying, his feet barely grazing the ground before he shot up again, the whole world spread out before him. He was supposed to be meeting up with Ladybug for their nightly patrol, but she wasn’t answering any of his texts. It was unusual for her to be so late. Chat stopped, flipping the switch on his staff.

Still no reply.

He could return home. He supposed. To sit in his big, empty room, by himself, forbidden to go anywhere or see anyone. Yeah, he thought, fat chance of that.

* * *

Marinette stared forlornly over her balcony as the warm glow of sun was slowing sinking over the horizon. She had survived the day, at least she had that. Lost in her gloomy thoughts, she barely noticed when a black cat slinked behind her, tiptoeing across her brick wall.

A sudden loud thump behind the raven-haired girl sent a shock through her body as she swiftly twisted around with her hands out, battle ready.

Only to find Chat Noir sprawled lazily on her longue chair, casually swinging his tail.

‘Those are some _Chat_-like reflexes you’ve got there,’ Chat Noir purred.

Marinette’s hands dropped to her sides as she rolled her eyes.

‘Ha, ha, Chat, very funny, but I’m not in the mood.’ _To deal with you, _her empty eyes silently shot at him. Turning her back to him, she returned to leaning against the railing. 

Chat Noir winced. He’d spotted Marinette as he was jumping past and nearly crashed into the side of the next building. He’d never seen her look like that. So hopeless. Like she was lost, and she wasn’t sure how to be found. He hoped to surprise the girl, to cheer her up, not make her _more_ upset. He slinked sulkily over to the railing.

‘I’m sorry for scaring you,’ he said gingerly.

Marinette sighed. ‘It’s okay, you were trying to be kind. I think. It’s just that I’ve had, a _day_.’

She spat out the word day like it was the nastiest thing in existence.

Chat wondered what could’ve possibly happened. He thought back to the last time he had caught her upset on her balcony.

‘Not having boy troubles again?’ Chat wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively, trying, and failing to get a smile out of the downhearted girl. 

Marinette frowned and looked down at her hands resting the on railing.

‘If you can even call it that,’ she admitted softly. ‘I’m starting to think it was all in my head.’

She turned her head then, towards Chat Noir’s concerned face, blue-bell eyes shining.

‘Is that possible?’ Marinette croaked out, voice cracking.

A fierce protective instinct flared up inside Chat Noir.

‘Marinette…’ he implored, gently clasping the side of her face and wiping away a single tear that had escaped, slowly tracking its way down the girl’s cheek.

Chat pulled the girl into a hug. She couldn’t hold back any longer, the flood gates opened. Full body sobs wracked Marinette’s body, as Chat Noir slowly stroked the back of her head.

‘It’s alright,’ he murmured into her hair, ‘let it out.’

They stood there for a while, Marinette finally letting her emotions come pouring out while Chat comforted her, occasionally murmuring encouraging words.

Marinette slowly relaxed in her partner’s arms, feeling safe in the little cocoon he’d made around her. Emotionally spent, and more than slightly embarrassed, she lifted her head up to her partner. Chat Noir met her gaze with tender, kind eyes, smiling at her reassuringly.

‘Are you feeling better?’ he asked.

She gave him a small, sad, smile, ‘Yeah, better than I have in a while actually. But it’s going to take time.’

‘You have time,’ Chat says rubbing her shoulders reassuringly.

Heat flamed in her cheeks as she gestured to the wet patch, she had made on Chat Noir’s suit from her tears.

‘Sorry about your suit.’

Chat smirked as his lifted his arm up into the air, curling his bicep, attempting to lighten the mood. 

‘As a hero I can do it all, Mari, kissing babies, saving kittens from trees’ he winked as he finished with, ‘and comforting pretty girls.’

Two thoughts immediately popped into Marinette’s head. One, since when did Chat Noir call her Mari? And two, Chat Noir thought she was…pretty? She shook her head and stepped out of his arms; he was just teasing her like always.

‘A hero,’ she covered her mouth as she did an over-exaggerated gasp, she put her other hand over her eyes, scanning the horizon, ‘where?’

Chat Noir grinned and played along. Feigning hurt, he leant back with the back of his hand pressed to his forehead, the other had clutching his chest. ‘Oh, so cruel, your words… they _claw_ at my heart.’

Marinette giggled at Chat’s theatrics. The black-clad boy straightened up, ecstatic. She was laughing!

‘Well, I guess my job here is done,’ Chat announced dramatically. Chat Noir swept his arm with a flourish as he bowed deeply, smirking up at Marinette. She quirked her eyebrow up, and folded her arms, seemingly un-impressed.

He jumped up onto the brick wall when Marinette’s frantic voice yelled ‘wait!’ He turned back. Marinette was looking up at him nervously, wringing her hands.

‘Thank you Chat. Truly, I needed that. And, uh, if you ever need to let off some stream, or just _chat,_ you know where to find me.’ She smiled cheekily, knowing the grin that would answer her terrible pun.

‘Don’t worry about it, Marinette. You seem like a really lovely girl, and I’m sure your friends care a lot about you, don’t be afraid to… let them in sometimes.’

Marinette bit her bottom lip, worried he was about to refuse her offer. It was rash, and kind of crazy, if she started hanging out with Chat in as a civilian, who knows what people would think! But a part of her didn’t care, she just wanted to spent more time with him, where she didn’t have to be Ladybug, the so called ‘girl of his dreams,’ she didn’t have the weight of Paris on her shoulders, or Hawkmoth looming in the shadows. She could just _be_.

‘I, uh,’ Chat started to say, faltering for the first time tonight, ‘I would like that,’ he finished lamely, jumping away into the night.

Marinette smiled as she watched Chat slowly fade into the distance. Tikki suddenly appeared, buzzing anxiously around her friend’s head, ‘are you sure that’s a good idea, Marinette?’

‘It’s the best one I’ve had in a while,’ she replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading. Please leave a comment below :)


	3. Let me in.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir and Ladybug sit upon the rooftops of Paris, finally sharing a proper conversation.

Night had finally settled over Paris, streetlights illuminating Chat’s path as he weaved between buildings. Seeing Marinette had renewed his resolve. Everyone needed someone they could rely on. It was much better to lay all your cards out on the table, to be vulnerable, rather than keeping them close to your chest, slowly chipping away at your sanity.

Recently, it felt like Ladybug hasn’t even been dealing him into the game. They needed to be more honest with each other, wipe the slate clean so they could start re-building the trust they once shared.

Chat had been roaming the streets of Paris ever since he left Marinette’s balcony, waiting for Ladybug to finally arrive for their patrol. He decided to settle down in their usual spot, atop a roof overlooking the Eiffel tower, and wait.

* * *

Marinette couldn’t get Chat Noir’s words out of her head, about being afraid to let people in. She couldn’t help but think the pained look that flashed across his face was due to Ladybug. She had been distant lately, she knew that, but maybe that jokester was more hurt than he let on. Chat Noir had helped Marinette tonight, so maybe Ladybug could return the favour.

* * *

Ladybug gracefully flipped into a seating position, landing next to her partner atop their favourite spot. Chat Noir’s gaze remained forward, unperturbed by her arrival.

‘Nice of you to show up,’ he huffed into the foggy night, not even sparing her a glance.

_This is where we’re at then_. She thought as much, she felt like all she did now a days was disappoint him. She’d kept him at arm’s length for too long.

She knew she deserved his coldness, but it didn’t hurt any less.

‘Sorry,’ she began, ‘I had a lot on my –‘

‘_Stop_.’ Chat’s pained whisper froze Ladybug mid-sentence, his defeated voice frightening her more than if he had shouted.

‘Just, _stop_.’ He finally turned his head towards her, the anguish in his emerald eyes stabbing right through her ribs directly into her heart.

‘Stop. Lying. To me. To yourself.’ Frustration and pain punctuated his every word. ‘We’re meant to be a team, but all you ever do is _push me away_!’ Chat’s fisted slammed down beside him, sending vibrations through the entire roof. A single tear slipped angrily down his cheek. The fierceness in his eyes fixing her to the spot. Her desire to look away, to break this building tension, was tugging at her resolve, but she couldn’t do that to him, she couldn’t run away again.

She held his gaze, she felt his hurt, his fury, his pain, because it was hers as well. She had been wrong to turn away the one person who could understand what she was going through. They needed each other, and she had been a coward, unwilling to share the parts of herself she’d rather erase. Chat was here, bearing his soul to her, willing her to _give in_.

‘Okay,’ she sighed, her voice coming out more measured that she thought it would.

The tension gripping Chat deflated like a balloon.

‘Okay?’ he prompted tentatively.

‘I’ll stop keeping things from you. You’re right Chat. We need each other, now, more than ever. We need to be able to trust one another.’

Chat’s looked at her imploringly.

‘Master Fu…,’ she squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the onslaught of guilt, shame and _pain_ she was about to unleash.

‘It was all my fault. I didn’t transform back, I led Hawkmoth straight to him, and now he’s _gone_!’ Hot tears spilled down her face, but she wasn’t finished yet.

‘I have no clue what I’m doing, I don’t know the first thing about how to be a Guardian of the Miraculous, or how to read that stupid book. Worse, Hawkmoth now knows the identities of all the people who were helping us, who knows what he might do to them, how he’ll use them to get back at us.’ Ladybug stared desperately at her partner, Chat Noir reached out and squeezed her hand. _Go on_, his eyes conveyed.

‘We’ve lost everything Chat, Master Fu, the other miraculous holders. Mayura is still largely an unknown, and we are no closer to finding out who Hawkmoth really is. The truth is, I have never felt so lost. Do we just keep fighting Akumas, over and over and over again, hoping that one day Hawkmoth will show his face and _this time_ we’ll be ready? He caught us completely by surprise, who knows when he’ll strike again. And what’s the only thing I have left to lose, that could break me completely?’ Ladybug squeezed her partner’s hand, a steady stream of tears still slipping down her cheeks.

‘You,’ she said tenderly, the desperation in her eyes breaking Chat’s heart.

Chat Noir clenched his jaw so hard he thought for sure he would break a tooth, he refused to cry, he didn’t want to break whatever spell they were under that was making Ladybug be so honest.

‘I’m just so unsure,’ she whispered into the night air, ‘of everything. And tired. God, I’m tired. I’m so _tired_ of being so _afraid_.’ Her voiced cracked, she swallowed loudly, stopping a fresh onslaught of tears from overwhelming her. 

They sat in silence for a while, linked by their interlaced fingers.

Finally, Chat turned to Ladybug and pulled her into a fierce hug, she returned it gladly, tightening her arms around his neck.

‘Thank you for letting me in.’ Chat whispered into her shoulder.

‘It was a long time coming,’ she replied.

They broke apart, Chat looked away before Ladybug could see the pink tinging his cheeks, but he missed the same heat flaring on Ladybug’s face.

‘There’s something I haven't told you.’ Chat turned to face Ladybug, mouth hardening to a thin line.

Fear crawled up Ladybug’s spine, she’d never seen Chat look so serious. She braced herself for a blow.

‘I have a girlfriend.’

Relief swept through her body. Ladybug bit her lip to suppress the urge to burst out into a fit of hysterical giggling. A girlfriend, she could deal with that. But Ladybug couldn’t help the pang of jealousy that tugged at her heart.

‘Oh – Chat, that’s, that’s great, congratulations!’ She plastered a wide smile across her face.

An unbidden jolt of disappointment shot through Chat Noir; he didn’t know what else he expected. Kagami’s face flashed in his mind, a lump forming in his throat, he shouldn’t be thinking about Ladybug when he was supposed to be someone else’s boyfriend.

Chat rose, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand and shuffling side-to-side, ‘Thank you,’ he rushed on clumsily, ‘I just thought you should know since I always say how much I like you and I didn’t want to give you the wrong idea.’

Ladybug stood, she patted her partner comfortingly on the shoulder. ‘Don’t worry about it Chat, you should be free to love whoever you choose,’ Ladybug said as she teasingly winked at him.

‘Now’ she said, oblivious to the inner turmoil Chat Noir was going through trying to decipher what her wink meant, ‘let’s patrol.’ 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Hope you liked it :)


End file.
